For today, links to three reports: from the Cradle, Middle East Monitor, and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA, SYRIA, LEBANON, UKRAINE and COVID ETC. entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. WEST BANK 1-25-25 entry is HERE. (GAZA 1-27-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JAN. 27  Israel to demolish entire village east of Bethlehem in latest West Bank land grab. From the Cradle. On Sunday, Israeli authorities notified the residents of Khirbet al-Numan village, located east of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, of plans to demolish all homes and displace dozens of Palestinian families in order to annex their land to the boundaries of occupied Jerusalem. READ MORE . . .

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Israel Occupation Forces demolish three Palestinian homes.  From Middle East Monitor. The Israeli authorities are continuing their demolition and bulldozing operations in the occupied West Bank, while forcing a citizen in 1948-occupied Palestine to demolish his home, according to the Palestinian Information Centre. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 27  UN experts dismayed by Israeli escalation in occupied West Bank. From Middle East Eye.  Israli attacks on the occupied West Bank are going to deepen suffering and violence on Palestinians, a group of UN special rapporteurs and independent experts warned on Monday. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to two reports: from Middle East Eye and the Cradle, and to an article of commentary from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, SYRIA, UKRAINE and COVID ETC. entries for this date, so far, are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. LEBANON 1-25-25 entry is HERE. LEBANON 1-25-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JAN. 27  Israeli strikes kill two in Lebanon despite ceasefire extension. From Middle East Eye. Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli fire killed two people on Monday and wounded 17 others in the south in a second day of violence as residents tried again to return to border villages. The ministry said Israeli fire killed 24 returnees on Sunday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 26  Residents return to Lebanese border villages as Israeli withdrawal deadline expires. From the Cradle. Residents of south Lebanon who were displaced during the war returned to their towns and villages on Sunday upon the expiration of the 60-day ceasefire implementation period. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 27  In Lebanon, civilians amass to secure liberation, by Khalil Harb | The Cradle  The image that Israel sought to project — both to its settlers and to the wider Arab world — of a resistance subdued, a nation defeated, and a broken will crumbled at dawn on Sunday as the 60-day deadline for the implementation of the ceasefire with Hezbollah approached. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to three reports: from the Associated Press, National Public Radio and the Cradle, and to commentary from the Cradle; other articles are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, LEBANON, UKRAINE and COVID ETC. entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. SYRIA 1-26-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Russian government delegation makes first official visit to Syria since Assad’s fall. From AP. DAMASCUS — A delegation of Russian officials arrived in Damascus today for the first such visit to Syria since the fall of former President Bashar Assad, an ally of Moscow who took refuge . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 27  What Syria looks like a month after the fall of the regime. Reported by Jane Arraf | NPR  After the sudden fall of the Syrian regime in December, Syrians are still euphoric but grappling with a shattered economy and fragile security. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JAN. 27  U.S.-backed Syrian authorities conduct dozens of sectarian executions. From the Cradle. Syria’s government forces executed five Alawites in the countryside of the central governorate of Hama on Monday and dozens of others in the past few days, according to the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 22  Syria, where Netanyahu and Erdogan converge, by Malek al-Khoury | The Cradle  Israel’s recently halted war on Gaza has laid bare the ambitions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to expand the occupation state’s territorial reach in Palestine and the wider region. This drive comes . . . Click HERE for article and maps.

For today, links to six reports: from Agence France-Presse, Tass, the Kyiv Independent, Reuters, and Kyiv Post; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, LEBANON, SYRIA, and COVID ETC. entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM   

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Russian army captures Ukrainian town in northeastern Kharkiv Region. From AFP. Russia’s Defense Ministry said today its forces captured the town of Dvorichna in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, the latest territorial gain for Moscow’s advancing troops as Kyiv warned of intense fighting in two other key frontline towns. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Tass.

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Trump suspends aid to Ukraine, vital NGOs ‘don’t know if they’ll survive,’ by Chris York and Daria Shulzhenko | The Kyiv Independent  U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze foreign development assistance for 90 days has thrown Ukrainian organizations into turmoil, in some cases . . . READ MORE . . .

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A Ukrainian deputy defence minister sacked amid infighting over procurement, by Dan Peleschuk | Reuters  KYIV — The dispute burst into the open last week after the official criticised Ukraine’s arms procurement effort as having failed to deliver results for frontline troops. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Kyiv Post.

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London intends to make Ukraine its colony with by concluding 100-year treaty — aide. From Tass. MOSCOW — By concluding the 100-year partnership agreement with Ukraine, the UK wants to create its colony on the territory of this country, Russian Presidential Aide Nikolay Patrushev said. He recalled that the agreement provides for . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to seven reports: from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Reuters, and the Columbia Spectator; and to a news release from NPR; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date and a MEDIA entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israel says Hamas list shows 8 of 33 hostages to be freed in first phase of Gaza ceasefire are dead, by Wafaa Shurafa, Osama Saleh and Joseph Krauss | AP  GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Israel says a Hamas list shows that eight of the 33 hostages to be released in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire are dead. READ MORE . . .

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Palestinians return to Gaza City for first time in over a year as ceasefire holds. Reported by Aya Batrawy and A Martínez | NPR  Ceasefires in Israel’s conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah hit snags. A disagreement over a hostage prevented Palestinians’ return to northern Gaza. In Lebanon, Israeli troops clashed with protesters. Click HERE to listen and, later, read. Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM JAN. 26  What a week of ceasefire looks like in Gaza. Reported by Aya Batrawy and Pien Huang | NPR  President Trump says he wants Egypt and Jordan to resettle Palestinians from Gaza as a shaky ceasefire holds between Israel and Hamas. Click HERE to listen and  read.

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President Trump calls for Jordan and Egypt to accept more Palestinian refugees. Reported by Leila Fadel of NPR talks with Khaled Elgindy, a visiting scholar at Georgetown University, about President Trump’s call for Jordan and Egypt to accept more Palestinian refugees. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JAN. 26  Trump’s Palestinian refugee idea falls flat with Arab allies and confounds a Republican senator, by Will Weissert | AP  DORAL, Fla. — President Donald Trump’s push to have Egypt and Jordan take in large numbers of Palestinian refugees from besieged Gaza fell flat with those countries’ governments and left a key congressional ally in Washington . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 23  NPR wins Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award for “The War in Gaza” coverage. From NPR. WASHINGTON — NPR has won a 2025 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award for its coverage of the war in Gaza. The prestigious duPont-Columbia Award honors outstanding public service in audio and video reporting. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from the Columbia Spectator.

For today, links to seven reports: from Reuters, Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, Agence France-Presse, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date and a MEDIA entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM   

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Ukraine replaces commander of eastern front after Russia captures another town. From Reuters. KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has replaced the commander of the eastern front, the most heated battlefield of the Ukraine war, after Russian forces captured another strategic town there. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Kyiv Post.

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Russia intensifies attacks near Pokrovsk, seeks to encircle Ukrainian forces, by Tim Zadorozhnyy | The Kyiv Independent  Russian forces have intensified their assaults near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, deploying small groups in an attempt to encircle Ukrainian troops, Victor Trehubov, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Khortytsia group of forces, said today on national television. READ MORE . . .

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Russian army retakes border village in Kursk Region. From AFP. Russia’s military said today its forces regained control of Nikolayevo-Darino, a small village captured by Ukrainian troops during their cross-border offensive into the southwestern Kursk region last year. READ MORE . . .

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Russia pounds Ukrainian military airfields, UAV assembly workshops over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces struck Ukrainian military airfields and unmanned aerial vehicle assembly and storage sites over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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EU renews Russia sanctions after Hungarian holdup, by Julia Payne and Lili Bayer | Reuters  BRUSSELS — The European Union renewed its wide-ranging sanctions on Russia today for another six months after Hungary stopped holding up the move in return for . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Tass.

Links to a report from the Columbia Spectator and to a news release from National Public Radio; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JAN. 24  Journalism School bestows 83rd annual duPont-Columbia awards, by Joseph Zuloaga | The Columbia Spectator  The Columbia Journalism School bestowed the 83rd annual duPont-Columbia awards on Friday, honoring achievement in audio and video reporting. NPR’s “The War in Gaza Coverage,” . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Jan. 23 news release from NPR.

For today, links to seven reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, Middle East Eye, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE, SYRIA and COVID ETC. entries for this date and a MEDIA entry are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israel blocks thousands of Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza over ceasefire dispute, by Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy and Joseph Krauss | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel kept thousands of Palestinians from returning to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip today as it accused Hamas of violating a fragile ceasefire by . . . READ MORE . . .

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Trump wants Egypt and Jordan to take in Palestinians from Gaza. Here’s why they are likely to refuse, by Joseph Krauss and Samy Magdy | AP   DUBAI / CAIRO  President Trump’s suggestion that Egypt and Jordan take in Palestinians from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip is likely to be met with a hard “no” from the two U.S. allies and the Palestinians themselves who fear . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters, Anadolu Agency and Middle East Eye.

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Israeli ministers hail Trump’s call to ‘clean out’ Gaza, resettle Palestinians, by Zein Khalil | Anadolu Agency  Israeli ministers expressed support today for U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to “clean out” the Gaza Strip and resettle Palestinians in Jordan and Egypt. READ MORE . . .

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Ceasefire agreement holds for a second week after Hamas and Israel swap. Reported by Ayesha Rascoe and Kat Lonsdorf | NPR  Hamas releases four female Israeli soldiers and Israel releases 200 Palestinian prisoners, as the ceasefire agreement brokered by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar holds into its second week. Click HERE to listen and read.

For today, links to eleven reports: from Reuters, the Associated Press, Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, National Public Radio, and Agence France-Presse; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, SYRIA, and COVID ETC. entries for this date and a MEDIA entry are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM   

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Ukraine’s military says it downed 50 Russian drones, attacked big oil refinery. From Reuters. KYIV — Ukrainian air defences downed 50 of 72 drones launched by Russia overnight and attacked one of Russia’s largest oil refineries, Ukraine’s military said today. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Kyiv Post.

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FROM JAN. 24  Russia claims its troops are in the last stages of taking another eastern Ukraine town. From AP. KYIV — Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed on Friday that Russian troops have fought their way into the center of a strategically important eastern Ukraine town and raised the Russian flag there after a monthslong battle. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE for reports from Kyiv Post and the Kyiv Independent.

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Trump is threatening more sanctions against Russia if it fails to negotiate on the war. Reported by Charles Maynes | NPR  As President Trump threatens new sanctions against Russia, the Russian economy thrives despite previous measures that failed to deliver the intended bite. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JAN. 25  Zelensky warns Putin wants to ‘manipulate’ Trump on Ukraine. From AFP. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday warned that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin wanted to “manipulate” Donald Trump, after the Kremlin chief . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 25  Zelenskiy says Trump could end Ukraine war only if Kyiv included in talks. From Reuters. U.S. President Donald Trump could fulfil his promise to end the war in Ukraine, but only if he includes Kyiv in any talks, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday. He also said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Suspilne: Washington orders USAID to suspend projects and funding in Ukraine. From the Kyiv Independent. The U.S. Agency for International Development has been told to stop projects in Ukraine following a 90-day foreign aid freeze imposed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ukrainian media Suspilne reported today, citing. . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 25  U.S. has not stopped military aid to Ukraine, Zelenskyy says, by Samya Kullab | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday the U.S. has not stopped military aid to Ukraine after newly sworn in U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he would pause foreign aid grants for 90 days. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 25  Ukraine loses over 360 troops in Kursk area in past day — Russian Defense Ministry. From Tass. MOSCOW — Ukraine lost over 360 troops in the Kursk area in the past day, while five soldiers surrendered, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .